Does Ryan Gosling have a hit on his hands? According to Christina Murphy, Project Hail Mary is a blast that should join the ranks of great intergalactic epics.
Project Hail Mary, adapted from Andy Weir’s hit novel, releases on March 19th across Irish cinemas. The movie, produced by a team including directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, star Ryan Gosling and author Weir, should take off with audiences on impact.
Hail Mary follows science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) who wakes up on a space ship with no memory of who he is or how we got there. This new space opera, with clear influence from other epics Star Wars and Interstellar, offers a modern yet classic “saving the world” narrative that you cannot help but fall in love with.
As the movie progresses, Ryland struggles to understand how he wound up in space. It is slowly revealed to the protagonist and the audience that he was part of “Project Hail Mary”, which set out to help save the dying sun. Soon, Ryland starts to recall his scientific training and expertise and decides it is up to him to save the sun from dying, and planet Earth from freezing over. However, he cannot do it alone.
It's impossible to notice time fly as the film transports its audience with mesmerising and mind-boggling cinematography depicting space, so many light years away from us. The movie never bores, achieving a balance of scenes that tug on your heartstrings and scenes that make you laugh; keeping you engaged and entertained.
Amidst discovering himself, Ryland also discovers alien life. He encounters a creature he calls “Rocky”, due it’s striking resemblance to a cluster of rocks. Very creative. Rocky, too, is a long way from home and shares Ryland’s motive to save his home planet from destruction. Soon, Ryland is not only fighting to save his sun, but also every other star in the galaxy under threat by a mysterious outer space killer.
As the odd couple team up, they develop a hilarious domestic relationship. Even though their lives are at stake and time is running out, the pair find humour in trying to overcome their language barrier and adjust to life as roommates. One can only imagine how hard it is to get privacy when an alien rock is constantly tumbling through the hallways of your spaceship.
The movie has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from early critics screenings over the past few weeks, indicating immediate acclaim. Following recent flops, Hail Mary should appeal to moviegoers. Undeniable classic Paddington 2 held a perfect score on the Tomatometer until a single negative review knocked it to 99% in 2021, four years after its release. Similarly, Sinners has 97% and broke the record for most Oscar nominations this year, with sixteen. This puts Project Hail Mary in a good position with its global release underway.
In addition to the charming tale of space adventure, the soundtrack of this movie is spectacular. It follows in the theme of keeping to the classics, while also balancing tragedy and humour. Playing into the space puns, a remix of “Champagne Supernova” by Oasis featured in the trailer.
Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times” plays an important role in the movie, which is well timed given his recent album release. Other songs used include hits of The Beatles and Queen from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, which capture the film’s complex mix of emotions.
Overall, the movie has all the positive indicators of the next must-watch, cinema event. With its already gleaming reception, Project Hail Mary is poised to launch sky-high this weekend.